Standing up for regional Queenslanders against the Albanese Labor Government's disaster betrayal

• The Crisafulli Government has brought insurers, all levels of government and regional communities together in Bundaberg to tackle rising insurance premiums and restricted insurance coverage.
• Investment in disaster resilience and mitigation is helping better protect Queensland communities, with insurers being urged to recognise this work when setting premiums.
• The roundtable expressed concerns that the Albanese Labor Government’s proposed disaster funding cuts will lead to an insurance bill body blow for Queensland households.
• The Crisafulli Government is building Queensland’s future and delivering better services through a stronger economy, after a decade of decline under Labor.  

The Crisafulli Government is continuing to take action to make insurance more accessible and affordable for Queenslanders, with the third Insurance in Rural and Regional Queensland Roundtable being held in Bundaberg today. 

The roundtable brings together representatives from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA), the National Emergency Management Agency, the Insurance Council of Australia, major insurers, and local, state and federal governments to tackle rising premiums, restricted coverage and delays in claims processing. 

The Crisafulli Government is investing in disaster mitigation and resilience, including through the $450 million Queensland Resilience and Risk Reduction Program, to better protect Queensland homes, businesses, roads and communities. 

It's just one of the ways the Crisafulli Government is building Queensland's future and delivering better services through a stronger economy.  

This important work is being put at risk by the Albanese Labor Government’s proposed disaster funding cuts, which would reduce the Commonwealth’s contribution and put greater pressure on Queensland councils.  

Under the proposed Albanese Government’s Disaster Recovery Funding Framework, 99% of Betterment and Risk Resilience works completed since 2013 would not have been eligible for funding. 

Less investment in disaster resilience means greater exposure for future disasters, putting further upward pressure on insurance costs and making it harder for Queenslanders to access affordable cover. 

The Crisafulli Government is standing up for Queensland and fighting to ensure the Albanese Labor Government does not leave Queenslanders with an insurance bill body blow. 

The Insurance Roundtable also successfully advocated for Bundaberg residents, with IAG, Suncorp and RACQ Insurance committing to passing through the appropriate risk reduction benefits of the levee to insurance premiums from the commencement of construction.

Minister for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy said building resilience and improving insurance affordability for residents and businesses must be a shared priority.  

“The Albanese Labor Government's proposed changes will kill off flood protection works and regional Queenslanders will be forced to deal with insane insurance price increases,” Minister Leahy said.  

“Queenslanders are facing an insurance bill body blow from the Albanese Labor Government.  

"99 per cent of flood protection works that has occurred across Queensland would not have happened under the Albanese Labor Government’s proposed new system and we will not stand for that. 

“This roundtable is about putting the facts on the table including better data, more mitigation and a clear case for fairer insurance premiums for regional Queensland.” 

Bundaberg Regional Council Mayor Helen Blackburn said Bundaberg had received more support from this State Government in the last 18 months than we have had in many years.  

“The inclusion of the Bundaberg Levee in this State Government Budget is welcomed on the basis that Bundaberg has never had any flood mitigation, and with insurance policies going nowhere but up, something has to be done,” Mayor Blackburn said.  

“I have been fighting for this project to include protection for communities north of the river, this State Government is definitely listening and I thank them for that.  

"The Albanese Federal Government disaster funding cuts means that now more than ever we need works to commence on this levee.”